Folding box.



NrrED STATES iwi iii.

PATENT @EFI FOLDING BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

Application filed November 18, 1905. Serial No. 288,010.

To (LZZ whom, it muy oon/06771,:

Be it known that I, ALExANDEE FLORENCE, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements inFolding Boxes, of which the ollowing is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in foldingboxes, and the invention has for its primary object to provide a novelform of box which can be folded into a compact form, whereby it willoccupy a comparatively small space when stored away or when beingreturned to its original owner.

My improved box is particularly adapted for merchandise requiring largeboxes which are expensive and cumbersome to handle.

By the construction of my improved box I am enabled to fold the boxafter it has been used and return it to its original owner in a compactform to be used again for shipping merchandise.

' I have aimed to provide a box which Will be extremely simple inconstruction, strong, and durable, comparatively inexpensive tomanufacture, and free from all danger of being injured by constant use.

ith the above and other objects in view the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, to behereinafter more fully described, and then specifically pointed out inthe claim.

Referring to the drawings accompanying this application, like numeralsof reference designate corresponding parts throughout both the views, inwhich- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved box in a folded orknocked-down form, a portion of the box being broken away, and Fig. 2 isa similar view of the box in a set-up position ready to be used.

To put my invention into practice, I construct my improved box of abottom 1, carrying ends 2 2 and sides 3 3, the sides and ends being madehalf the depth of the box. These sides and ends are secured together bynails or screws 4 or the like fastening means. Centrally of the bottom 1I hinge, as at 5, a transverse partition 6, and to retain this partitionin a vertical position I provide one of the side walls 3 with avertically-disposed rib 7.

Secured to the side walls 3 3 of the box by hinges 8 8 are auxiliary orsupplementary side walls 9 9, while secured to the end walls 2 2 byhinges 10 10 are auxiliary or supplementary end walls 11 11. The hinges8 8 and 10 10 are constructed whereby the auxiliary or supplementarywalls may be folded inwardly, and to permit of the central partition 6being folded upon the bottom, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings,the top edges of the central partition are cut away, as at 12 12, topermit of the central partition clearing the hinges 8 8, carried by theside walls 3 3. This is also true of the auxiliary or supplementary endwalls 11, which are cut away, as at 14 14, for the same purpose. The endwalls 2. 2 are provided with screw- `threaded stud-pins 15 15 and theauxiliary or supplementary end walls 11 are provided with similar pins16 16.

A lid or cover 17 is employed in connection with the box, and this lidor cover is adapted to fit upon the auxiliary end walls 11 11 and thecentral partition 6 between the auxiliary or supplementary side walls 99. Centrally of the lid is secured a trans verse metallic cleat 18,having depending ends 19 19, adapted to engage the upper edges of theauxiliary side walls 9 9 when the box is in a set-up form and overlapthe vhinged edges of the side walls 9 when in a knocked-down form. Theends of the lid or cover 17 are provided with plates 20 20, havingdepending tongues 21 21, and to these tongues are hinged hasps 22 22,which are adapted to engage over the screw-threaded stud-pins 16 16 ofthe auxiliary ends 1l 11 when the box is in a set-up form and engageover the pins 15 15, carried by the end walls 2 2, when the box is in aknocked-down form. To secure the lid or cover 17 upon the box, either ina knocked-down or set-up'form, winged nuts 23 23 are employed.

when the box is in a set-up form to be used, the auxiliary end walls 1111 are prevented from caving in by `transverse cleats 24 24, carried bythe underneath surface of the lid or cover at the ends thereof, thesecleats being adapted to engage the inner top edges of the auxiliary endsand retain them in a vertical position.

To fold my improved box, the auxiliary ends 11 11 are folded inwardlyinto vertical alinement with the end walls 22 and then the centralpartition 6 is folded upon the bottom i 1c IOO l of the box. Theauxiliary or supplementary side Walls 9 9 are then folded inwardlytoward one another until they rest upon the top edges of the end Walls 22. cover 17 is then placed upon the auxiliary side Walls 9 9 and thehasps 22 22 placed over the pins l5. The Winged nuts are then rotatedupon the pins to hold the lid or cover firmly upon the folded auxiliaryside Walls 9 9, thus forming a folded box which Will be compact in formand easy to handle. v

I do not care to confine the novel construction which I have employed toboxes alone7 as the same can be advanta eously used in connectionWithcrates or t e like receptacles Which are only used for certainseasons of the year and are then placed in storage until the nextseason.

It is thought from the foregoin that the constructionl and advanta es oft e hereindescribed folding box will e apparent without furtherdescription, and various changes in the form, proportion, and minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

The lid or v What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with a box comprisin a bottom, and stationary side andend WaIls, of auxiliary end walls hinged to the stationary end Walls andadapted to fold inwardly in parallel alinement with said end Walls,auxiliary side walls hinged to the stationary side Walls and adapted tofold inwardly toward each other to rest u on the top edges of said endWalls,.a centra v partitionv hinged to the bottom of said box, andadapted to fold thereon, a lid or cover supported by the top edges ofsaid auxiliary end Walls between the top edges of said auxiliary sidewalls, hasps hinged to the 'ends of said lid, means to temporarilyfasten said hasps to said end walls, and a metallic securing-cleathaving its ends turned downwardly to embrace the top edges of theauxiliary side Walls.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twoWitnesses.

ALEXANDER FLORENCE. Witnesses:

EDWARD CASLETT, WM. J. KELLY.

